Mahomet

Mahomet is a historical European transliteration of the name of the Prophet Muhammad, the central figure of Islam. Muhammad is believed by Muslims to be the final prophet, who received the revelations that constitute the Qur'an; he is traditionally dated to around 570–632 CE in the Arabian Peninsula.

The form "Mahomet" originates in Latin as Mahometus, reflecting medieval Latinization of the Arabic name Muḥammad. From Latin it passed into Old French as Mahomet and into English as Mahomet, with later modern spellings such as Mohammed or Muhammad. The underlying meaning of Muḥammad is generally given as "the praised one" from the Arabic root ḥ-m-d.

In historical English and other European languages, "Mahomet" was common from the Renaissance through the 19th century. Related terms such as Mahometan or Mahometanism were used to refer to Islam, but these terms are now considered archaic or pejorative in many contexts; contemporary usage favors Muhammad (or Mohammed) and Islam.

Today, Mahomet survives mainly in historical, linguistic, and literary contexts. It appears in older texts and discussions of transliteration and the European reception of Islam, but it is largely replaced by standard modern spellings when referring to the Prophet or the faith.